Child has hand forced for Shropshire clash

GORDON CHILD has been forced to ring the changes ahead of Berkshire's win-or-bust Minor Counties Championship clash with Shropshire at Shifnal, which starts on Sunday.

Team manager Child has seen his side decimated by injuries and unavailabilities for their biggest game of the season, with five of the team that beat Cornwall earlier this month ruled out.

Opener Richard Howitt and former Essex skipper Paul Prichard are both injured, while Reading's in-form batsman Jon Perkins and Steve Naylor of Slough both have work commitments and James Morris is wanted by Glamorgan 2nd.

Child has been busy trying to find replacements, and has turned to Howitt's opening partner at Bourne CC in Lincolnshire, Ashley Wright, in a bid to bolster the batting line-up.

He said: "It is not all doom and gloom.

"When you have lost two opening batsmen against a side of Shropshire's strength then you cannot afford to mess about, hence the registration of Wright.

"You have to replace class with class and Ashley is a 23-year-old who has first-class experience with Leicestershire.

"When you are in a position to do well in the league then you do not want to throw it out of the window.

"I think we have a good outfit, we will be up for it and we are all looking forward to the game."

But Child warned: "I think Shropshire are the strongest side in the division - they have won three out of three so far this season.

"It's a game we need to win if we want to have any hopes of winning the division, but it's a tough task."

Child was already without Perkins and Naylor when he was hit by a double whammy this week.

Firstly Howitt fell heavily during fielding practice for the ECB squad in Amsterdam and badly dislocated the middle finger of his right hand, an injury that will rule him out for a month.

Then Prichard aggravated an old wrist injury playing golf and is unable to hold a bat at present.